If you’re worried about getting a gift to a recipient before Christmas, knowing the shipping deadlines is essential. If you’re wondering, “What are the Christmas shipping deadlines for 2021?” here’s what you need to know.
USPS
If you want to ship items using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), there’s still time to get your items to their destination using most approaches. Which deadlines apply depends on where the packages are going to or from, so you’ll want to keep that in mind.
For the Contiguous United States, here are the deadlines:
- USPS Retail Ground – December 15
- First-Class Mail – December 17
- Priority Mail – December 18
- Priority Mail Express – December 23
These are the deadlines for Alaska:
- USPS Retail Ground – December 2
- First-Class Mail – December 18
- Priority Mail – December 18
- Priority Mail Express – December 21
Here are the deadlines for Hawaii:
- First-Class Mail – December 17
- Priority Mail – December 17
- Priority Mail Express – December 21
For international shipments, the deadlines vary dramatically. If you want to see there’s still time, you can check the international shipping deadline dates on the USPS website.
FedEx
FedEx has a variety of shipping options available and, for many of them, the deadline hasn’t passed yet. Here’s a look at your FedEx cutoffs for Christmas deliveries:
- Same Day – December 24
- Same Day FO, PO, SO, Extra Hours – December 23
- 2Day – December 22
- Express Saver – December 21
- 1Day Freight – December 23
- 2Day Freight – December 22
- 3Day Freight – December 21
- Ground (Contiguous U.S) – December 15
- Ground (Alaska and Hawaii) – December 15
- Home Delivery (Contiguous U.S) – December 15
- Home Delivery (Alaska and Hawaii) – December 15
- Ground Economy – December 9
- Freight Priority – December 15
- Freight Economy – December 9
- Freight Direct – December 15
Here is an overview of the international deadlines for FedEx:
- International Next Flight (U.S. to Canada) – December 24
- International First (U.S. to Canada) – December 23
- International Priority (U.S. to Canada) – December 18
- International Priority Distribution (U.S. to Canada) – December 17
- International Economy (U.S. to Canada) – December 17
- Canada Domestic (U.S. to Canada Ground) – December 15
- Northbound (U.S. to Canada Ground) – December 13
- Southbound (U.S. to Canada Ground) – December 14
- International Next Flight (U.S. to Mexico) – December 24
- International First (U.S. to Mexico) – December 24
- International Priority (U.S. to Mexico) – December 23
- International Priority Distribution (U.S. to Mexico) – December 22
- International Economy (U.S. to Mexico) – December 21
- International Next Flight (U.S. to Puerto Rico) – December 24
- International First (U.S. to Puerto Rico) – December 23
- International Priority Distribution (U.S. to Puerto Rico) – December 23
- International Economy (U.S. to Puerto Rico) – December 22
UPS
UPS also has quite a few shipping options that can still provide delivery before Christmas. Here is an overview of the UPS domestic deadlines:
- Ground – Check the website
- 3 Day Select – December 21
- 2nd Day Air – December 22
- Next Day Air – December 23
Here is a look at the international deadlines:
- Standard (U.S. to Canada) – Check the website
- Worldwide Expedited (U.S. to Canada) – December 21
- Worldwide Express (U.S. to Canada) – December 23
- Standard (U.S. to Mexico) – Check the website
- Worldwide Expedited (U.S. to Mexico) – December 21
- Worldwide Express (U.S. to Mexico) – December 22
Amazon
Depending on where you live, if it works as it did in 2020, Amazon Prime members may be able to place orders as late as December 24 and still get them in time for Christmas. Most of that will depend on whether you live in a city with two-hour delivery options. If so, then you might be able to get eligible items brought straight to your door, giving you a very last-minute opportunity that doesn’t require traveling.
For anyone outside of those cities but in an area where Amazon handles the delivering part of the equation, you may be able to get select products before Christmas. One-day delivery items need to be ordered by December 23, while two-day delivery items would have to be ordered by December 22.
If you aren’t sure if an item is eligible, look at the item page to see delivery estimates. You could also review your cart before placing your order, as you’ll see delivery estimates there, too.
Do keep in mind that Amazon delivery timelines might not be guaranteed. As a result, the earlier you can order, the better.
Free Shipping Day
If you want to get free shipping without necessarily having to use Amazon, Walmart, or other retailers that consistently offer that option, then shopping on Free Shipping Day is wise. In 2021, this event falls on Tuesday, December 14. During that day, thousands of retailers that usually charge for shipping (or that have minimum purchase sizes to qualify) allow any order to get shipped out for free.
It’s important to note that retailers may use different approaches to managing the event. Some will apply the benefit to every purchase without any extra action from shoppers. Others may require you to enter a coupon code, though they’ll usually make it simple by openly publishing the code on the site.
Also, it’s crucial to understand that restrictions may apply. Certain items may not be eligible for free shipping, such as big furniture items, large electronics like televisions, or anything else that doesn’t rely on traditional mailing methods for delivery.
Just make sure you read the requirements before you begin. That way, you’ll be able to take full advantage of the event.
Do you typically need to ship items before Christmas? If so, have you ever struggled to get everything on its way before the deadlines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Read More:
- What Are the UPS Store Hours?
- 7 Ways to Save Money on a Tight Budget for Christmas Decorations
- 10 Steps to Avoid Overspending on Christmas Gifts
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Tamila McDonald is a U.S. Army veteran with 20 years of service, including five years as a military financial advisor. After retiring from the Army, she spent eight years as an AFCPE-certified personal financial advisor for wounded warriors and their families. Now she writes about personal finance and benefits programs for numerous financial websites.
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